


I Love You, You Idiot

by DeeTheTeaDrinkingDragon



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Love Confessions, Reunion, So sappy and sweet it'll give you a toothache
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-19 05:35:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20204572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeeTheTeaDrinkingDragon/pseuds/DeeTheTeaDrinkingDragon
Summary: It had been three days. Three days since he had last seen her, the pair separated lost in the Woods of Aloria. It had been chaos, the group split in panic during a scuffle with a giant Bolarian Titan Snake. She had screamed at him to run, and Callum had hesitated, watching her dart off, baby dragon in arm, before his own trembling legs tried to follow. But he had been too slow, the snake coming between them, and he had barely escaped himself as he darted off in the opposite direction.Three cold nights, Callum had spent in caves alone, wondering silently if he’d ever see her again. Drawing her, desperate to hold onto her memory… just in case. So it had felt like a miracle when he spotted her, standing in shock between the trees staring at him, Zym by her feet.He had imagined this scenario going differently in his head.





	I Love You, You Idiot

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Piecesofarose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piecesofarose/gifts).

When he first saw her, he was scared she was angry with him.

Her eyes were aflame, her face screwed up into a scowl as she stormed at a pace towards him. He continued slowly forward, his feet moving on their own, despite his nerves.

It had been three days. Three days since he had last seen her, the pair separated lost in the Woods of Aloria. It had been chaos, the group split in panic during a scuffle with a giant Bolarian Titan Snake. She had screamed at him to run, and Callum had hesitated, watching her dart off, baby dragon in arm, before his own trembling legs tried to follow. But he had been too slow, the snake coming between them, and he had barely escaped himself as he darted off in the opposite direction.

Three cold nights, Callum had spent in caves alone, wondering silently if he’d ever see her again. Drawing her, desperate to hold onto her memory… just in case. So it had felt like a miracle when he spotted her, standing in shock between the trees staring at him, Zym by her feet.

He had imagined this scenario going differently in his head. Perhaps a warm hug, her laughing running towards him in joy. In relief. But the closer she got, the more he could hear her hissing, muttering fuming words. Maybe if he apologised she’d cool off…? He just… he desperately wanted to hold her if she’d let him, he needed it after everything that had happened…

He waited until she was closer, running his fingers nervously through his hair, eyes searching hers dejectedly for some semblance of sympathy. “Rayla, I’m so sorry-”

“Do you have _any_ idea how worried I’ve been?” Her voice was louder now, laced with irritation. She stopped a few feet away, glaring furiously at him, her fists clenched, ears pinned back. And then he watched her eye twitch, her brow furrowing into something past rage. Distress.

“R-Ray…”

“I thought that snake had _eaten_ you!” Her voice cracked, shaking now as grief cut through the anger. She’d often hide her fear behind a cold façade, it was a very Rayla thing to do… was this what it was? Was she afraid? …He couldn’t exactly blame her, he’d been terrified during those nights without her, wishing desperately to see her face, hear her voice telling him everything would be alright. He watched the prickling of tears at the corner of her eyes. “I thought you were _dead!”_

“I’m… sorry...” He mumbled again weakly. Her eyes were too intense for him to keep eye contact, trailing down to his feet, but he heard her wipe her hand against her face. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean to scare you like that, I promise I’ve been trying so hard to find you again, a-and I never meant to leave you alone, you know I would never do th-”

Callum’s rambling was cut short. He had seen her feet moving forward but it didn’t quite hit him until he felt her hands on his cheeks. He caught her eye only briefly as he looked up. She looked desperate and terrified.

And then all at once she was frowning again, almost with a steely determination and she jerked forward. Her lips found his.

Oh… that was a little unexpected. He made a little noise of surprise in his throat, eyes widening. He was frozen in shock as his brain whirred trying to process what exactly was happening. She… she was kissing him. Rayla was kissing him. And she was tense, trembling too.

…She was scared.

Perhaps a mistaken realisation dawned on her in that moment, as he stood stiffly in her embrace, that her feelings weren’t requited, because he felt her starting to pull away slowly, almost ashamed. But he caught her gently with his lips, his eyes fluttering closed.

_‘Wait… Don’t go.’ _

Callum kissed her back tenderly, his lips caressing hers, so soft and shy, as his trembling hand found the back of her neck, trailing slowly up and curling softly through her hair. He felt her tension ease away with a little sigh as she returned his affections and the kiss, pressing her nose gently into his cheek. Her hand slid back slightly, cradling his jaw, her thumb bumping against his ear as her fingers found his hair twirling brushing back and forth through it. She caressed his cheek tenderly, and he melted, guiding her a little closer, as his other hand found her forearm, trailing gently up until he was holding her wrist, his fingers tracing little circles on her skin.

He wondered if she could hear his heart beating uncontrollably in his chest. He wouldn’t have to wonder long. He felt her other hand slowly trail down his cheek, his neck, lingering there for a moment, her fingers so gentle against his skin, before they trailed over the fabric of his scarf, and settled slowly on his chest. Her palm rested over his heart, relaxing contently there.

Well now he was _sure_ she could feel his heart beating. Perhaps he would have been a bit more nervous, a bit more unsure of himself, but he was too lost in the moment for it to worry him. He’d open his heart to her if that was what she wanted. It belonged to her anyway.

Their lips lingered, and it was with reluctance when they both slowly broke the kiss. He didn’t want to, but at the same time he was sure he’d pass out from lack of air if they held their kiss any longer. They only pulled back a little, just enough that they could both let in an equally shaky breath. Neither of them spoke for a moment, almost in a trance like state. And then Callum brushed his thumb against her wrist and her eyes flicked up to meet his, sparkling and vibrant, dancing with adoration. He could feel her still trying to catch her breath, her face flushed and rosy, but eventually her eyes softened again.

“I love you, you idiot.” She whispered tenderly through little breaths, the palm of her hand tilting a little so she could cup his cheek again. His heart did a little overjoyed flutter at her words, a lump of emotion catching in his throat. Her eyes flickered down to his mouth before shutting, and she closed the distance again, gentler this time, her lips pressed to his for a few precious seconds. “So don’t scare me like that.”

“I love you too.” He muttered, the words coming out so fond and adoringly. He was unable to keep the little curl of a smile off his lips. It was a movement over her shoulder that caught his eye, another pair of eyes off in the distance. He chuckled nervously. “Rayla, I think we have an audience.”

“What?” She whispered, an eyebrow raised now, and she pulled away to look over at their little dragon, sitting there regarding them with a little lopsided dragony grin. “Oh.” She laughed, turning back to Callum. “It’s alright. He’ll get used to it.”

The implication that she would kiss him again was a bit too much for Callum’s heart to handle, as it trembled in his chest, his legs shaking. She smiled, a twitch of concern on her brow. “You alright? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“I’m fine!” His voice shook a little. “Just… I’m just wondering, if I find trouble and almost die, will you kiss me again?”

She frowned now, her arm curling around his back pulling him into a small hug, and her other hand trailing to the back of his head, playing gently with his hair. “No, if you do that, I’m breaking up with you.”

“Breaking up with- but we’re not-” He blinked at her in surprise. “A-Are we?”

“Are we what?” She smiled mischievously, revelling in the poor boy’s confusion.

The word felt nervous on his lips. “D-Dating?”

Her eyes softened a little, and her arms pulled him a little closer. Heart to heart. Forehead to forehead, nose to nose. “I don’t know.” She muttered softly. “I guess that’s up to us to decide right now.”

Callum’s heart did a backflip, his brain giddy. “Y-Yeah?” His voice went a little higher than usual, cracking with emotion. “I’d… I’d like that.”

He felt her rub her nose against his affectionately, chuckling. “…I’d like that too. I’d also like it if my boyfriend could not disappear like that again. …I missed you.”

He cupped her cheeks, eyes not leaving hers, full of love and fondness. “I missed you too.”

When he first saw her, he was scared she was angry with him. But now he knew she had just been afraid. And he was determined to not let her feel fear like that ever again.

**Author's Note:**

> You can all blame Dani for this.  
Based off her beautiful artwork, which you can all see here: https://twitter.com/Piecesofarose/status/1160596872710500357
> 
> I'm so proud of this, me and Dani were melting while I wrote it hahaha! Be sure to check out my other Rayllum oneshots if you enjoyed this, or perhaps take a look at my Multi-chapter fic "The Midnight Compass" if you like a slowburn...  
Thanks so much for reading! <3 Please be sure to leave a comment letting me know what you think! :D See you next time!


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